⛰️ Hiking Snowdon – The Highest Mountain in Wales

I’m leading this hike for London Social Hiking and sharing it here so my KoZa Trails crew know when I’m out on the trails in the UK. 😊

👉 Please note: all sign-ups and payments need to be done through London Social Hiking’s Meetup page here:
Hiking Snowdon – The Highest Mountain in Wales

RSVPs on KoZa Trails are just to show interest and don’t secure a spot.
Shout if you’ve got any questions—it would be lovely to see some familiar faces!
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Explore Britain’s most stunning trails in a small group of up to 14, travelling together by private minibus to beautiful, remote locations not easily reached by public transport.

On this trip, we're going to stay in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Caernarfon – only a short walk from one of the most famous castles in Wales!
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The Snowdonia National Park boasts vast areas of natural beauty and unique scenery. It is also known as “Eryri”, a Welsh name that can be translated as “the place of the eagles”. Covering 838 square miles, it is the largest and oldest national park in Wales. There are nine mountain ranges here and they cover over half of the national park’s surface.
Departing from London early on Saturday morning, we'll head to Snowdon – the tallest mountain in Wales, at an elevation of 1085 metres above sea level. Starting from Pen-y-Pass mountain pass, we'll climb Snowdon via the Pyg Track, which offers one of the most popular and scenic routes to the summit. On our way, we'll enjoy exceptional views of the beautiful glacial lakes of Llyn Llydaw and Glaslyn, dramatic cliffs and the surrounding peaks of the Snowdon Massif mountain range. The descent is via the Miners' Track. It's so called as it was originally built to serve the Britannia Copper Mine on the slopes of Snowdon. After an initial steep descent, we'll follow an easy and gradual downhill path along the shores of beautiful lakes, past the historic mine buildings. After the hike, we’ll travel to the medieval, UNESCO World Heritage town of Caernarfon to check in to our hotel, enjoy dinner and relax.
On Sunday, we'll visit the hidden gem – the Aber Valley on the north coast, with its spectacular cascade of waterfalls. The Aber Falls tumble down 40 metres from the Carneddau mountain range, and have earned the title of the most “Instagrammable” 📸 waterfall in the UK. We'll follow the North Wales Path along the scenic hillsides and enjoy superb views of the coastline and Lafan Sands. After the hike, we'll take a short drive back to Caernarfon, where you'll have time for lunch and also to visit the superb UNESCO-listed Caernarfon Castle. This large royal fortress was built on the orders of King Edward I of England during his conquest of Wales in the late 13th century, and is recognised around the world as one of the best-preserved examples of medieval military architecture.
ITINERARY
Saturday:
06:45 Meet outside Hotel Novotel London West, 1 Shortlands, W6 8DR (a five-minute walk from Hammersmith Station)
07:00 Sharp departure
13:30-19:00 Hike to Snowdon via the Pyg and and Miners' Tracks (difficulty: Difficult, distance: 12km, ascent: 810m)
19:30 Check-in at Premier Inn Caernarfon Hotel, dinner and free time
Sunday:
07:00 Breakfast
08:00 Departure
08:30­-12:00 Hike to the Aber Falls (difficulty: Easy, distance: 11km, ascent: 320m)
12:30-14:45 Lunch in Caernarfon, free time to visit the medieval UNESCO-listed Caernarfon Castle and explore souvenir shops
14:45 Departure
21:00 London, Hammersmith
DIFFICULTY & EQUIPMENT
Please note that this trip requires a good level of fitness. Sturdy hiking boots with ankle support and waterproof clothing are essential.
PRIVATE ROOM
The default option is a shared twin room at the hotel (you'll share your room with somebody from our group of the same gender). A small number of private rooms, for your own use, is available for £35 extra – let us know if you would like an upgrade!
TRANSPORT
As on most of our trips, we'll travel in a comfortable 16-seater minibus.
LUGGAGE
You can bring two small bags with you: one cabin size personal item bag (up to 10kg) and one smaller hiking backpack to fit under the seat. During the hike, you can leave your luggage in the minibus.